City Hall Set For Face Lift

Lakes Lunch Area To Be Improved

Lauderdale Lakes — City Hall workers will have a new place to eat, a room for conferences and upgraded restrooms.

And visitors to the complex can relax in a more spacious reception area when conducting business.

"We want a more professional look. The way [City Hall] was designed it didn't have the best utilization of space," said City Manager Anita Fain Taylor

"It is much needed ... I believe it will better serve the community when they visit City Hall," she said.

The project has been on cue for quite some time, she said.

The city is spending $400,000 to renovate the north wing, something that hasn't seen a change in 20 years.

For a long time, employees had to eat while looking at restrooms, said Jonathan Allen, assistant city manager and director of public works.

"The new restrooms are being relocated and upgraded to meet [disability access standards]. Employees really didn't have a nice conference room on the first floor," Allen said.

The Alfonso Gereffi room -- the commission chambers named after the late mayor -- and the adjacent conference room will not be renovated because those rooms received cosmetic improvements. The city also improved the electronic equipment in those rooms.

As it goes, Lauderdale Lakes is trying to clean up its image, and that means a more attractive, efficient and useful City Hall, Allen said.

"If you look at the city of Lauderdale Lakes compared to other City Hall facilities, there was a lot to be desired. From the staff perspective, at the minimum, you wanted to have a comfortable work environment," Allen said.

The building underwent its last major renovation in 1984. The 9,000-square-foot administrative section still houses an old jail, which has been converted to a storage room. No additional space will be added.

The building will be reconfigured to allow better movement of people, however.

Toni Marshall can be reached at tmarshall@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2004.